If you've been following me for some time, you've likely heard me use the phrase, Comfort is the Enemy. But...... Let me expand on this. Comfort is the Enemy..... IN TRAINING. But, what about Life? Should life always be a struggle? Should life always be uncomfortable? It depends (of course!). Some people, like my friend Joe DeSena, find happiness when pushing and being uncomfortable. Others, need more flow and more happiness in life. So it depends, very much like … [Read more...]
199 | Rachel Balkovec Interviews Zach on Childhood Upbringing, Coaching Philosophy & More!
Here we go, STRONG Life Podcast ep. 199 with Rachel Balkovec. Rachel interviewed me for her Theta Wave Podcast while on my drive to teaching and we got into some awesome history behind my training, my childhood and how these experiences have shaped my coaching philosophy. I share the infamous story of "Andrei The Giant" from Israel and lots of history from The Underground Strength Gym including how my mindset has changed from the business focus to the coaching / teaching focus. Prepare … [Read more...]
Why Strength Coaches MUST Have Grit aka “Mental Toughness” (Plus Business Tips)
This article is about GRIT & Toughness for the Strength & Conditioning Coach. This profession is NOT easy. The hours can be crazy and the vacations can be little but we are SO damn passionate about what we do, it's a double edged sword. I've been at The D1 Level and of course the independent level, running at times up to 4 locations of The Underground Strength Gym. Thank God for wrestling because it taught me to be TOUGH. From my first job working at JFK Fitness Center to my … [Read more...]
Seek The Discomfort
Here is a short snippet From my morning newsletter aka The STRONG Life Insider. I am intrigued by people. MORE intrigued with who is tough vs who is not. Who quits vs who keeps going. Who punches the clock vs who does AWESOME work. Who genuinely cares about their work and how they work vs those who never gives a sh-t. What type of person are you? Normal people quit. A LOT. … [Read more...]
Are You Allergic……
As I am doing some research for some up and coming episodes of The Iron Roots Podcast I came across some of my favorite articles. Articles from the 60s and early 70s, before I was born. What do these articles talk about? The BASICS. Getting STRONG. Eating. A LOT. Finding a Way vs Finding an Excuse. But today. Not enough can do the above. Why? Because they're allergic. … [Read more...]
Iron Roots Ep. 10 – Wrestling Physical Conditioning Encyclopedia by John Jesse
This book was gifted to me in the early 2000s by Josh Henkin, creator of The Ultimate Sandbag. I will never forget how grateful I was and still am that Josh shared this book with me! This book was written in 1974, before I was even born! Coach John Jesse was WELL ahead of his time, in fact, this was a time period in athletics where many Coaches were warning against weightlifting because You'll become muscle bound or Your muscles will turn to fat if you stop training. If you're ready to … [Read more...]
THIS GUY WANTS TO BE SOMEBODY!!!
I just received an e mail and HAD to share it. I withhold the person's last name for privacy and screen shot it below as well so you can see no words have been edited. This e mail fired me UP! It reminded me of Mark Smelly Bell's story of how a Powerlifter announcer would shout after each successful lift was made, THIS GUY WANTS TO BE SOMEBODY!!! Listen..... Not everyone REALLY wants to be somebody. Not everyone has that inner Spartan or inner Gladiator. But for those who … [Read more...]
Gladiator STRONG + How I Messed Up My Own Training When I Was Younger?
When I was younger and competing in sports, wrestling specifically, I was unfortunately training the WRONG way. And as an athlete, time is crucial. You NEVER get that time back and so, you miss out on opportunity. The opportunity to train the RIGHT way is often times the difference maker between you being part of the team vs you being someone who goes down in the history books. It was the late 80s and the early 90s when I was training complete opposite of The Gladiator STRONG method. I was … [Read more...]
Warrior Diet, Fat Loss & Success Mindset
I had a phone call with my buddy a few weeks ago on the way home from Vermont. My buddy and I check in a few times a week with one another and make sure each of us is kicking ass & taking names. If not, we call the other guy out and deliver some "Real Talk". It's great to have a friend that is like this vs a friend who is only there out of convenience. Want to know what else real friends do? They answer the phone. Some people can't talk to you unless it's a text message. Come on, that is … [Read more...]
Iron Roots Ep. 9 | George Hackenschmidt aka The Russian Lion
MANY years ago I got my hands on a book titled The Way to Live. I loved the book. It was so simple yet so powerful. I was training athletes from my garage back then and I was already tired of the poser, fake BS in the "fitness industry". I read this book about George Hackenschmidt aka The Russian Lion and damn, he was an animal. He was using basic dumbbell and barbell lifts, his nutrition and sleep / lifestyle habits were also basic. But his results were world class. … [Read more...]
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